Heisman hero to NFL hurdle? Travis Hunter beat out a narrow competition with a lot of marquee athletes, including Ashton Jeanty, to bring the Heisman trophy home after three decades. He dragged the Buffs back to a bowl game for the first time since 2020. His receiving stats are insane: 92 receptions, 1152 yards, 14 touchdowns. And defensively, he blanketed receivers, allowing a measly 22 catches on 39 targets and only 6 first downs. Despite a mid-season shoulder scare that sidelined him for two games, Hunter roared back, seemingly cementing his NFL potential.

But now, on the verge of the draft, a national analyst’s concerns have cast a shadow over the Colorado icon’s highly anticipated pro-league career.

Will Travis Hunter crack the top 5?

Deion Sanders has always been the biggest advocate for his favorite boy. When Hunter failed to live up to the expectations and underperformed in some games, Deion batted for him and kept firm faith that Hunter would be back like a king, and he did. As far as the growing NFL buzz is concerned, Coach Prime has his take clear. He sends off a clear message to the NFL supremos, noting, “Don’t draft him if you are not going to give him an opportunity to play both sides of the football.”

If you’re not buying Sanders’ so-called favoritism towards his star receiver, just look around. Everyone seems to think he’ll be a top-five pick in the first round of the draft. It’s been quite a lopsided debate so far. However, twisting it outright, Steve Muench threw cold water on the Travis Hunter hype. “He is not a top-five pick in this draft. We are getting into a mock draft season, and big boards are one thing, and Travis Hunter is two maybe, but when three on my big board right, so keep it all in mind, keep it in perspective, but when you start looking at mock drafts, you start looking at needs, you realize quarterbacks going to earlier,” Muench dropped a bombshell.

Some sights have Hunter as the 6th pick at round one, keeping the QB phenoms ahead in the race. It’s evident that the quarterbacks have some higher demands in the mix than the receivers or any other positions, but if you scout through the history, there have been a few examples of CB or WR making it to the top, expelling the QBs. So, it’s not impossible, especially when it’s Travis Hunter, the generational two-way talent, a projected good investment for any team.

But on the other side, Hunter had his advocate right in the place. Warren Sapp and Rich Eisen batted for Hunter in the perfect moment, putting every opposer on notice with their incisive arguments.

Travis Hunter found support from his all-time advocates

Guess what? Don’t just be mad at Muench. He just reflected on the popular air around the Colorado CB/WR right now. Yes, you got it right. He is not the only one to count out the Colorado QB from the top 5 draft picks. CBS Sports’ Chris Trapasso dropped Hunter to the sixth overall pick, echoing the same emotion as Muench. He mentioned that the standout CB lacks technique in some areas and he is too focused on his athleticism, which is sabotaging the overall growth sometimes.

Warren Sapp, Colorado’s grad assistant, took a stand for Hunter when he needed it the most. Countering the anti-Hunter scout, the Colorado faithful noted, “I know I was a dawg in college…mhm can’t touch him. Cover a nine-route, turn around, run a D and run all the way to the end zone…it was sick.” When Rich Eisen asked him: “So 70 snaps or 80, could he play more than that?” “It could be a package where he’s a decoy too,” replied Sapp. Serving as the Senior Quality Control Analyst for Buffaloes, Sapp watches the two-way star from a closer proximity than anyone, and he didn’t spot anything that propelled him to take a backseat in the draft race.

Not only Sapp, Rich Eisen, the prized analyst, got furious at everybody who couldn’t see Hunter as the number one overall draft choice. “When you’re taking on the Chiefs, he wipes out their best receiver, and then you take on the rest of the league, and he’s your best offensive weapon. How is he, not number one overall?” Eisen asked a valid question, but it hardly made any difference.

The growing debate over Hunter’s NFL position continues to make rounds and divide fans and veterans into two teams. However, amidst all the chaos, Hunter remains poised with his ability to defy all the odds. It remains to be seen which NFL league will take the gamble on Hunter’s rare skill set.